Pipe-coupling.



C. R. THURMAN.

PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15. 1911.

1,1 1 5,989, Patented Nov. 3, 1914'.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Ill/Mm 11/111111lnllllllllllllnllllII C. R. THURMAN.

' PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED 1111111911.

1,1 15,989. Patented N0v.3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

8 n val 14701,

(Zar; Thurman CHARLES R. THURMAN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTRIC RENOVATOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

PIP]?-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed August 15, 1911.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914. Serial No. 644,209.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. THUR- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pipe coupling designed particularly for use in connection with vacuum cleaning apparatus, andmore particularly to a connection be-, tween the suction head of a vacuum cleaning tool and one end of a tubular handle, the opposite end of which being provlded with means for attaching it to a flexible pipe or hose connected to an exhaust apparatus for creating a current of air inwardly through the tool to remove dust and dirt from floors, walls, furniture, and other ob- 'ects.

J The main object of this invention is directed tothe peculiar means for connecting the suction head to its tubular supporting and guiding handle in such a manner that the handle may be rotated to the left or right for the purpose of changing the angular position of the head relatively to the plane of the handle whereby the head may be carried bodily against an angle in the surface being cleaned, around corners and pro ect1ng parts, and into spaces narrower inafter described in detail and pointed out than the length of the head.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a connection which permits of the easy removal and replacement of the head or the attachment of a new head, or a head of difle rent type when so desired, without loosening screws or fastenings of any kind.

Furthermore, this improved pipe coupling is adapted to provide an air-tight joint between the suction head and the handle and at the same time to permit of the relative rotation of the connected parts and a relatively strong support between the parts so that pressure exerted upon the handle will be transmitted to the suction head without injury to the coupling or to the fastening means therefor.

With these and otherflobjects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Flgure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the head and lower end of the handle of the tool. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on line '44 of Fig. 1. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of the tool showing head in different angular positions with relation to the handle. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of modified form. Fig. is a plan view of the same. vFig. 10 1s a view showing how head is secured to the handle in the modified construction. Fig. 11,

is a detail view showing how it is disconnected. Fig. 12 is a detail view showing modified form of locking groove.

In the drawin s the numeral 10 designates a tubular iandle, through Which a current of air is drawn, bent near its lower end at 11 so that the extremity 12 formed into a hollow socket will be substantially parallel to the surface being cleaned while the handle 10 will be normally at an angle of forty five degrees to the same surface. The socket 12is preferably slightly larger in diameter than the handle 10 to receive the tubular cylindrical neck 13 of the same diameter as the handle 10, formed on the suction head 14. The suction head 14 is very long in a lateral direction as compared with its width and is formed with a long narrow slit 15 opening downwardly through its underside and upwardly into a chamber 16 in the head which communicates with the tubular neck 13. The suction therefore, set up in the handle 10 tends to exhaust the chamber 16 which immediately fills with air through the slot 15 and draws in all dust and dirt within its radius of influence to discharge it with the. air into the exhaust apparatus.

Around the peripheral surface of the neck 13 at its junction with the head 14: is an annular collar or rib 17, straight on the side 18 next the head but inclined at 19 on the o posite,side or the side next the neck 13. t one point on the straight side 18 there is a cutaway or beveled portion 20 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Riveted or otherwise'securely fastened at one end to the exterior of the socket 12 is a spring'catch 21 made of a flat strip of v perpendicular resilient material with its free end projecting beyond the socket as shown and bent at a right angle to form a tooth 22 adapted to engage over the annular collar or rib 17 on the head 1A, the free edge of said tooth being curved to the radius of the neck 13 so as to engage firmly behind the collar and lock the head securely in position on the handle. WVhen separated, the head 1 and handle 10 are connected by placing the neck 13 in the socket 12 and pushing it in as far as it will go. The tooth 22 on the spring catch 21 encountering the inclined side 19 of the collar 17 will yield and ride over said collar, springing down behind it and looking the head against withdrawal, as the engaging faces of the collar and tooth are to the direction of the pull necessary to separate the head from' the handle. The head however, may rotate freely around the axis of, the collar 13. When it is desired to separate the head from the handle, the head is turned until the beveled portion 20 on the straight side of the collar 17 registers with the tooth 22; then a straight pull of the head will cause said tooth to ride over the collar and disconnect the head as is evident.

' The handle 10 is preferably but not necessarily made with a joint between the straight piece 10 and the curved section 11 as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the straight piece 10 is, therefore, formed with a straight socket 25 to secure the upper end of the curved section 11, which latter has a radial fin 26 adapted to engage a longitudinal slot 27 in the socket 25 to prevent the parts rotating about each other. thumb screw 28 engaging cars 29 on each side of the slot 27, will, when tightened, clamp the socket 25 around the section 11 and hold the latter secure.

Instead of forming a rib or collar 17 on the neck 13, an annular groove 30 may be cut therein, as shown in Figs. 8 and 10, and the spring catch 21 formed with a fulcrum point 31 intermediate its ends between which point and its fastened end, the catch will have a portion 32 raised above the socket 12 so that when this raised portion is depressed by the thumb or finger as in Fig. 11, the free end of the catch will rock on its fulcrum point 31, raising the tooth 22 out of the groove 30 and permit the withdrawal of the neck 13 from the socket 12 The tooth 22 in this instance projects through a slot 33 in the socket instead of forward of the socket, as in Fig. 1. The

end of the neck 13 is beveled as at 34 to raise the tooth when the neck is inserted in the sleeve, as clearly shown in Fig. 10. If desired an inclined depression 35, see Fig. 12, mav be cut in the neck 13 leading from the groove 30 at one side so as to permit the removal of the head from the. handle by simply turning the head until the depression registers with the tooth and then pull on the head.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe coupling comprising a pair of telescopic pipe sections, one of said sections being provided with a circumferential groove, the other of the sections having a slot in registry with said groove when said sections are assembled, and a spring catch carried by the last mentioned sections and provided with a bent end passed through said slot and adapted to engage said groove to hold said sections for relative rotary movement, said catch being shaped to provide a fulcrum point adjacent its bent end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

2. A pipe coupling comprising a pair of telescopic pipe sections, one of said sections being provided with a circumferential groove, and a spring catch carried by the other of said sections and provided with a 'bent end adapted to engage said groove when said sections are assembled, said catch being bent to provide a fulcrum point adjacent its free end, the rear portion of said catch being spaced from the surface of the pipe sections substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A pipe coupling comprising a pair of telescopic pipe sections, one of said sections being provided with a spring catch, the other of said sections being provided with a circumferential shoulder, said shoulder having a vertical wall adapted to be engaged by said spring. catch when said sections are assembled, said vertical wall of said shoulder having an inclined cutaway portion of slightly less depth than that of said wall to permit therefrom when the sections are subjected to suflicient strain to cause the catch to ride over said cutaway portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. THURMAN. Witnesses: V

A. H. CLARKE, A. E. FORTLAGE.

the disengaging of said catch 

